Save Me
by InuYoukaiKiyo
Summary: After the drama with Enishi, Kenshin was left with his answer to atonement. But he needs to complete his journey. When he wanders again, promising to return, Kaoru gets kidnapped while he's gone. And the only person who can save her is Kenshin! LEMONS!KxK
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _RuroKen_or any part of the genius Watsuki Nobuhiro creations. I do own the silhouette of a man though… (Anybody recognize that pun…? Rotfl)

**A/N: **_Yo__! I am back! __:does__ a little jig: I hope you all like this new fic!_

_First, I'd like to say that I am a HUGE fan of __RuroKen__. I own all of the __Manga__/Anime/OVAs. Like… it's almost unhealthy- but I dun care. This will be a multi-chapter story, so I warn you... so this is far from finished. I cannot guarantee that I will update regularly, but I will try my hardest to at least finish this story in a month or less. (This'll be 10 chapters tops… dun __wanna__ send the wrong message. ;;)_

_Second, I would like to request a beta… someone who is online more than 2 times a week. _-.-' _-__sarcasm-. Anyone up for the job? And! I also got a lot of reviews for my __InuYasha__Fanfic__ "_Passion" _complimenting the lemon. Well! Here's a surprise for all you __pervs__! This story will have more than 1 lemon, I assure you… and I will totally rock it out this time. It'll make "_Passion_" look like __limely__ fluff… (__not__ to __meantion__ I will stick by "_Passions" _style. _I DO NOT believe in QUICKIES, dammit!_ -__hiss__-)_

_Now… On with the story, people! __:Waves:_

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**Prologue**

_Blood._

She was always surrounded by blood. It was _everywhere. _On her clothes, her hands, her face, in her eyes, and it even stained her soul. Scarlet consumed _everything_. It even conquered her, held her soul in a tight grip, and it was never going to let go. How could she let this happen?

_Blood._

She was tired. But she couldn't stop. For every one she let get away, two innocents would die in the one's place. That was not acceptable. The innocents were more important. They must be protected. She protected them, even at the cost of her own soul. She could never stop. Never cease to protect. _No. _

_Blood._

Was this really protecting innocents? By killing the guilty, was she protecting guiltless? And what about her? Wasn't _she_ an innocent before all of this? Who had been supposed to protect her?

_Flaming red hair, amethyst eyes, childlike smile…_

_Love, affection, passion…_

_Cross-shape scar, sword, amber hues…_

_Strength, determination, purpose…_

She whimpered almost inaudibly as she clutched her head in her hands, her fingers buried in ebony bangs. Who was the redheaded man who plagued her like this? Why couldn't she remember more than just fleeting images of him and emotions that were hidden just beneath the surface? Was he the one who was supposed to protect her? Was he her husband…?

_He turned away from her, walking across the courtyard and out the gates, never to be seen again…_

_Loneliness, tears, pain…_

_Kenshin…_

"Kenshin…?" She whispered to herself, ceasing her rocking motions. She was wrapped around herself against the wall, her face buried in her raised knees, as she had been rocking herself. _Kenshin… Kenshin… who are you? Who were _we_? Why aren't you here with me? Did you get hurt…? _She gasped, her hands flying to her chest, over her heart, clutching at the front of her gi. Why did the mere thought of this Kenshin person being injured hurt her so much?

Before she could examine this further, the door to her cell opened. The light poured in the dank, dark room and she squinted against the burning sensation the light caused in her eyes. She could only see the silhouette of a man standing the doorway due to the bright light that surrounded him, but she knew all too well who he was.

"It is time again, hitokiri, prepare yourself," and then he shut the door, leaving her alone in the dark once again.

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**A/N:** _I hope you enjoyed this one as well as my last work! Chapter one is already up, so skip on! Don't forget to give me feedback, please! I REALLY appreciated all of your reviews on "_Passion_" and I LOVED that you took the time for it, and you encouraged me to keep going. Thanks! Since this will be a multi-chapter story, I will be posting review responses and thanks, so don't hesitate to ask questions! _

_Kiyo-__chan_


	2. Ch1: Goodbye

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _RuroKen_or any part of the genius Watsuki Nobuhiro creations.

**A/N: **_I hope you all left a review. __:Eyes__: LOL! _

_It's okay if you wait for this chapter to review__… :Eyes__ even harder.: I need some feedback on this story, because I don't really know how the readers will feel about this since it's been kind of done before- but I want to try for a new spin. _

_Just to let you know, this chapter is "back in time" explaining the events leading up to the "Prologue"- which you just read. Since Kenshin is not going to have an appearance in the next chapter, and __prolly__ not for the next half, I did Chapter 1 mainly in his point of view. _Enjoy.

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**Chapter 1**

The Kamiya dojo was silent except for the soft sobbing sounds of a young woman. Two men stood outside, tension thick in the air, each sob tearing at them.

"Do you really have to go?" The younger of the two asked quietly, absently rubbing his arm.

"Yes. Even though this one found the answer to atonement, it does not mean he fully understands it. This one must finish the journey, Yahiko." The older one responded. He placed a hand on the top of Yahiko's head, petting unruly black locks. "This one _will _return, so do not fret. Study under Kaoru-dono and become even stronger. This one will want to test your skills when he returns to you all." The redhead offered a warm smile, amethyst eyes twinkling.

Yahiko forced a smile, looking up at his idol. The older man wasn't that much taller than he was.

"Okay, Kenshin." Yahiko replied, giving the slightly surprised older man a hug. He stepped back and grinned cheekily at him. "You come back as soon as possible, you hear me? Don't stay out too long and make me come look for you!" He mock threatened, shaking his fist at him.

Kenshin backed up, hands held up in defeat. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Of course! This one doesn't want to stay out longer than he has to either." He paused for a moment, but his eyes were sad when he spoke again. "Yahiko… can you please retrieve Kaoru-dono? This one wishes to say goodbye…"

"There is no need. I'm here." Kaoru stepped out onto the porch, her arms wrapped around her stomach. There were dark circles under her eyes, and they were red from her tears. She looked ashen and her pony tail was slightly messy. She looked at the floor, unable to hold Kenshin's gaze for long.

Yahiko looked down at the floor and silently excused himself, sensing that the adults needed to be alone.

Kenshin bit his lip, walking forward and up the small steps to stand before her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her towards his chest. She resisted for a moment, but finally gave in. The dam broke again and she collapsed against his chest, sobbing.

"Please… don't… I c-can't… need you here…" She cried almost unintelligibly into the fabric of his gi.

Kenshin held her tight to his chest, burying his nose in her neck. His heart was breaking, but he had to do this, there was no other option. He breathed in her scent. Jasmine. She smelled so good, felt so right in his arms, and he did not want to ever let her go. He placed feather light kisses into her hair, his hands rubbing soothingly over her back.

"Karou-dono..." Kenshin started, pulling back so he could see her face. "This one has to go now, but this one will return to Kaoru-dono. It's a Promise, okay? This one hopes Kaoru-dono will wait for him…" He cupped her cheek in his hand, forcing his rurouni smile for her. He hated leaving her, but he had no choice. He knew that she would miss him terribly, and he knew he had to find a way to make it up to her when he returned.

Kenshin returned Kaoru's feelings completely. He wanted to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her. He planned to do some odd jobs to make a bit of money, so he could buy her a ring and pay for the arrangements for the wedding. That is… if she didn't move on and find someone else before he returned… or maybe this would make her hate him and she would never— He stopped that train of thought, ignoring the searing pain in his heart at the possibility. He had to think positive. But how come he felt a foreboding feeling?

"Yes… I will wait for you!" Kaoru replied almost immediately, looking up into his eyes. She sniffled, and worried her lip between her teeth. "I will be here waiting for you when you return _home with me and Yahiko_," Kaoru stressed that last part, instantly recognizing his hidden worry. They had discussed their feelings shortly after the battles with Enishi. She knew he was worried she would find another… but she knew in her heart _no__one_could ever replace Kenshin. No other but him would be her husband.

Both had spoken their undying love for each other, even shared a few shy kisses, and spent a lot of time getting to know each other before they agreed on when the wedding could be. Only after she was eighteen. Sometime after that, Kenshin had announced that he was going to leave for about a year or so, wandering the countryside to ponder his revelation. And, Kaoru secretly suspected, to avoid the temptation that she represented. Kaoru knew Kenshin respected her and would not want to jeopardize her honor, and it was difficult for him because he knew she was willing to give herself to him _before _the wedding.

She knew he had to go in her heart, but it didn't mean that she was able to just send him off with a smile and a wave. She reigned in her feelings, resolving herself not to make this harder for him than it had to be. She forced a wan smile, leaning up slightly to kiss the corner of his mouth.

"I will wait for you, Anata," She flashed a smile at him, running her fingers through stray crimson locks. "Please… return to me soon…"

Kenshin beamed at her, the first true smile he had worn since he decided to leave. _I won't stay gone for too long… I don't wish to wander for _another_ ten years… _He added in his mind, his inner voice taking on a slightly sarcastic edge.

"This one will return as soon as he finds all the answers, Koishii…" …_And that you are eighteen! _

"I love you…" Kaoru whispered very softly.

"This one loves you too, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin replied, kissing the top of her head. He released her, backing up a step. "This one will be back before Kaoru-dono knows it…" Kenshin turned away from her, walking toward the gate. He did not turn around, even as he heard the sound of Kaoru's knees hitting the porch as she sobbed almost silently. He could not. If he did, he would run back into her arms and he would never be able to finish his journey. He reached the gate, and paused, pressing his forehead against the wood.

He took a deep breath, and pulled the gate open. With a hand on his sakabatou, he strode out the gate, his free hand pulling the door closed behind him.

The sound of the gate closing played over and over in Kaoru's ears as she sat sobbing on the porch. Yahiko was finally able to coax her inside a couple of hours later.

Little did she know that with the closing of the dojo gates, Hell's gates were opened…

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**A/N: **_I hope you all enjoyed this! Please review:Hands out RuroKen Manga: _

_EvilInTwilight(at)aol(dot)com_

_Don't be afraid to e-mail me!_

_Kiyo-chan_


	3. Ch2: Kidnapped!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _RuroKen _or any part of the genius Watsuki Nobuhiro creations.

**A/N: **_Hey, everyone! I appreciate every one of your reviews, story and author alerts. Thank you so much for your support. I can't stop smiling after I get a review or an alert- it makes me so happy that I am able to write something you all enjoy. This chapter should explain a few things, but I still want to keep the suspense going a little while longer. I haven't started on the new chapter yet, but I will soon. _

_And, I forgot to mention something in the last chapters. Sanosuke and Megumi have already moved on. (SPOILERS!!!!) Sano already moved to China and Megumi went to Aizu, so it's just Kaoru, Kenshin and Yahiko. Saitou may make small appearance towards the end, but I'm not sure… maybe. Depends on how many Saitou fans there are. Rotfl_

_I will only use a little of Japanese terms in this story, I don't want to confuse anyone. I have a term glossary at the end of the chapter to cut down on confusion. _I still need a Beta. _I've had a few people offer, but they had no stories for me to look over… so I couldn't accept (no matter how much I wanted to). So, please, send me links to your stories if you want to help me beta this story._

_One last thing: I haven't been able to find any RuroKen or InuYasha fics that I haven't read… so if anyone has any stories they would like to show me, then I'd love to take a look! Leave me a (signed, so I can get to your profile) review and let me know that you'd like me to take a look and I'll get right to it! Alright! I'll shut up now and let you all get to the story. (do any of you read my author's notes anyway? Let me know in your reviews, 'kay?) _Enjoy!

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**Chapter 2**

"_**Kyaaah!"**_

The young Shihandai's battle cry rang out in the stadium as she ran forward towards her opponent, bokken raised above her head. She kicked off the floor, launching herself at the man across from her. He was considerably larger than she was, but his size amounted to nothing as her bokken slammed into his, the force behind her hit knocking the man off kilter.

Kaoru took advantage of his lapse in balance by sliding her bokken off his, darting to his left side to sweep her foot under his. Once the man was down, Kaoru wasted no time jamming the wooden sword at his throat. She didn't even twitch as she held her position, waiting to see if he would move. He didn't, and that action declared her the winner.

The crowd went wild. People jumped out of their seats, clapping, cat-calling and chanting her name. Her students ran onto the platform to sweep her up into a group hug, celebrating their win.

"Yes! We won!"

"You're the best, Kaoru-sensei!"

"That was so cool, you totally trashed him!"

This was a huge thing for her students, Kaoru knew. This was the championships. All the dojo's in the near by cities traveled here to Tokyo to compete, to take the title as the best school home with them. The students all competed, paired up to spar against each other. The two teams with the most wins made it to the last round, where the sensei of each team fought for the title. And Kaoru had just won against a school from Kyoto.

Kaoru looked to her students and flashed a big smile. She hugged each of her students, patting them on the back and congratulating them as well. Yahiko stood at the back of the group, a smug smirk on his face.

He walked forward to stand next to her. "You did great, busu." The insult had no bite to it, and Kaoru took no offence. He now called her "busu" out of habit, teasing her instead of making fun of her like he did not only six months ago. Her deshi had grown up a lot since Kenshin had left them to finish his journey. Kaoru knew he took what Kenshin had said to him to heart, and she was very proud of him.

"I'm proud of you, Yahiko-_chaaaan,_" She drawled under her breath. She slung her arm around his shoulders and grinned slyly at him as his eyebrow twitched. His peers, and her students all snickered, but canned it with Yahiko's glare. Yahiko was the Assistant to the Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu… no matter how silly it sounded, they respected him.

"You all did wonderful! Each one of you put your heart into this competition. What do you say we go to the Akabeko to celebrate? My treat!" Kaoru offered, wiping sweat from her brow.

Her students all jeered in agreement, grinning from ear to ear, Yahiko cheering "FOOD!" quite loudly at the mention of going to the Akabeko. The Shihandai grinned back and held up a hand, effectively silencing them all. "First, we have to go congratulate the other teams on their performance and then collect our prize."

They all nodded, some of the older kids in the back adopted sulky expressions, but none voiced displeasure out of respect for their Shihandai.

Kaoru turned around and lead her students over to where the other team stood, speaking in low tones. She waited until they noticed her and her students. A few moments later, they had stopped talking and were just staring at her. The Shishou that she had just sparred against looked at her with a bored expression, not saying a word. Kaoru, quite taken aback with their lack of greeting, made a quick bow, her students following her example simultaneously- though Yahiko a bit slower than the others.

"I just wanted to say that you were all great today, and we enjoyed competing with you." Kaoru swallowed hard and looked up at the Shishou. She had a feeling that they weren't too happy with second place. At all.

"Your Shishou is strong- you will all do well to learn under him." Her students nodded behind her, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Yahiko staring the man down hard, daring him to do something. She held out her hand regardless, and she hoped that the man would accept it.

The students just glowered at them, and the Shishou wore a fierce scowl. Kaoru took a step backwards, withdrawing her hand. Really, Kaoru wanted to break her bokken over his head for his rudeness; but that would set a bad example for her students, so she refrained from doing as such. Yahiko was already bowing up at her side, glaring daggers at him.

Grinding her teeth, she inclined her head towards them one last time and turned away, ushering her students off the platform, her hand on Yahiko's arm.

"What a yarou…" Yahiko muttered. He said it low enough so the students wouldn't hear him cursing in such a vulgar way, but Kaoru caught it.

"Yahiko!" Kaoru scolded in a harsh whisper. She agreed wholehearted with him, but as the mature adult, she had to scold him.

"Sumanai," Yahiko apologized immediately, trying to sooth Kaoru's possible ire. He really didn't want to be floored in front of the whole stadium by an angry Shihandai. It'd be _quite_ embarrassing, to say the least…

"It's okay… just don't let everyone else hear you say those things," She said as she directed her students far away from the bunch of sore-losers over to the supporters of the tournament to collect their prize.

"Kaoru-san," A tall man with short, dark cropped hair greeted her, clapping his hands together. He was graying a bit at the roots of his hair, as was the tips of his thick mustache. It was easy to tell that he had been very fit in his younger days, and the small scars on his face obviously showed that he was no stranger to a katana. "Congradulations to you and your talented students! I suppose you are here to collect your prize, are you not?" He snapped his fingers and his assistant immediately set to work in giving a ribbon to each student.

"Tachi-san," Kaoru greeted, bowing in return. She smiled politely to him, folding her hands in front of her.

"Yes. We are planning to go celebrate at the Akabeko. The rest of the funds will go to the dojo. We really need new equipment." Currently, their bokken and shinai were old and worn. They had picked out their best ones to use in the competition and actually had to repair a few. "Thank you for giving a chance for us compete."

"Splendid! I hope you all have a good time at the Akabeko." He stepped back as his assistant wordlessly offered a colored envelope to Kaoru. "Thank you for participating."

Kaoru took the envelope graciously, then handed it to Yahiko to place in his gi. She bowed deeply to Tachi and his assistant, her high pony tail spilling over her shoulder.

"We hope to see you at the next competition next year, Kaoru-san," Tachi said as he returned her bow, as did his assistant.

"You will definitely see us there, Tachi-san!" Kaoru replied, grinning. "Well, we have to be going now; we still need to get our things from the backrooms. Goodbye."

With one last wave, Kaoru escorted her students to the hall that lead to the backrooms. She waited outside for her students, leaning against the wall, simply people-watching. A sad smile played on her lips as a young couple moved towards the exit, a small child between them. _Kenshin… I miss you. I hope you will be proud to call me your wife once you return…_

After Kenshin had left, Kaoru was hard-pressed to just give up. For weeks after he left, all she wanted to do was lay around in bed. But, she had Yahiko to think about. Just because Kenshin took a… _vacation…_ it did not give her the right to neglect Yahiko.

So, to get her mind off of Kenshin and put her time to good use, she redoubled her efforts to get students. She sent Yahiko off to hand out flyers to the people in town and spread the word while she waited at the dojo for potential students. It was a bit slow to start, but gradually students trickled in until she was almost back to where she was before.

Now that Yahiko was very inept with Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, she allowed him to help her teach. By the time the real training had started, half of her students had quit- saying it was too hard. But that was okay with Kaoru. She now had a team of eight, herself and Yahiko included, and they were the best students she had ever trained. (Not including Yahiko, of course. He had a special place in her heart.)

Not four months into their training, the tournament reached Tokyo, and she was going to wait until next year, but her students all begged to compete. How could she deny them? She was glad that she relented; now her students had superb confidence in themselves and their bokken and they would try even harder now to--

A muffled whimper came from somewhere to her left, and something flashed around the corner.

Kaoru narrowed her eyes and gripped her bokken hard. Someone was in trouble! Not one to ever turn her back on someone who may be in trouble, Kaoru made her way along the wall. She paused at the corner and rolled around it, her back on the wall. She looked around quickly, but saw nothing. She strained her ears to hear something more, and she was shocked to hear a woman whispering.

"No-! Ple--_cckk!_"

Now Kaoru was on high alert. She debated on whether or not to find Yahiko, but she wouldn't be able to live with herself if this person was killed because of her delay. She ran on cat's feet down the corridor, turning another corner. Kaoru was horrified to find a well-beaten woman with her throat slit laying in the middle of the floor, a man garbed in all black cleaning a dagger standing over her. He was cloaked, and she could not see his face, even when his head raised to look up at her.

Her scream was caught in her throat when inhuman eyes flashed under the hood, and she saw the white gleam of teeth grin at her. She was so focused on (and scared of) the man in front of her, she did not even hear the man with a club that was behind her.

Pain exploded at the back of her head, and then she knew no more before everything went white. She slumped to the floor, her bokken falling from limp fingers.

"She did good in the competition… she'll make a wonderful asset to us. Bring her, quickly." A deep voice said in a hushed whisper. A man in a western style suit stepped out of one of the rooms, his hands folded behind his back. "Dispose of that trash while you're at it,"

The man cloaked all in black started to clean up the mess that was at one time, a woman, as the man that had knocked out Kaoru, slung said-woman over his shoulder, following his master out of a secret exit- completely unseen.

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**A/N: **I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter… I'm not really happy with the ending, but I think it fit. And the stadium is purely fictional to fit my story. I have no idea of Tokyo even had a stadium back then. ; 

**Please **leave a review for me, tell me what you think, and share your stories!

**Terms (in order): **

**Shihandai: **Assistant Master (Kaoru, since she teaches in place of her deceased Father)

**Bokken: **Wooden Sword

**-sensei: **an honorific for someone who is a teacher, master or doctor.

**Busu: **Ugly- Yahiko's nickname for Kaoru.

**Deshi: **Apprentice

**-chan:** an honorific for someone who is younger or little.

**Shishou: **Master

**Yarou: **A vulgar curse that includes "Asshole", "Jerk", "Bastard" or "Son-of-a-Bitch" (etc.)

**Sumanai: **I'm Sorry

**-san: **an honorific for someone who is older or a stranger.

**Gi: **a top worn by swordsman. (check me on that one)

**Shinai: **Fencing (bamboo) stick

_And last but not least! Thanks to all who reviewed_

**endlessearth: **Thank you for your offer to be my beta! **lovette: **I will! **RedWingedAngel002: **Yay! Keep reading! Thank you!! **The Spirit Mage: **Why, thank you. And no, this will NOT end shitty like the OAV's did. I am a strong believer in happy endings. **Paramecio: **Thanks, and I hope you liked this chappie! **Priestess Shu Chen: **Terrific:Steals candy bar: LOL! **sulou: **You're straight forward review definitely caught my attention when I read it, I assure you. ; I'm glad you like my story. **Obsequious101: **Thank you!

_And thanks to all who added me to their Favorite or Alert list _

**Obsequious101; azulrealms; oranjitenshi; tvsweetie; FiresongKTreva; Paramecio; RedWingedAngel002; Modify; Priestess Shu Chen**

_Have a great day! -Kiyo_


	4. Ch3: Searching

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of Nobuhiro Watsuki's creations. I'm just playing with them a bit.

**A/N: **_Yo, I'm back with another chapter! I hope you like this. I worked hard on this so please review and tell me what you think. I got the "quotes" from the manga itself… so yay for me! xD_

_The manga is so different from the Anime… I am torn between which one I enjoy more. If only the Anime stayed exactly the same as the Manga… I so enjoy the character voices. 'Specially Aoshi's voice… he pronounces everything perfectly and I just want to lick the TV screen when they have a view of him…_

_And no, I wasn't drinking when I wrote Tae's dialogue… in the Anime she has a heavy Southern accent, and I went with that._

_Anyway! Enjoy chapter 3!_

**Chapter 3**

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"Kaoru-chan! _Kaoru-chan?!"_

"Sensei! Please, answer us!"

"Kamiya-san? Where are you?!"

"Kaoru! Hey, busu, answer us! _Kaoru!!"_

'_Where is that busu?' _Yahiko thought to himself as he chewed worriedly on his lower lip. Where could she have gone? She had been waiting outside the change rooms when they went to gather their things and when they came out, not even minutes later, she was gone!

'_Oooh… I hope nothing happened to her..' _Yahiko looked up at the night sky, and folded his arms over his chest. It had been mid-day when they had first started looking for her. They had looked around the stadium, then Akabeko, the dojo… everywhere! Desperate, they had all arranged a search party for the young miss. Almost everyone knew her and loved her joyous disposition, and were happy to help. Even Saitou had lended a few officers to help search for the young Shihandai, agreeing that this was serious.

It was so unlike her to just run off like that without telling anyone. And with how much trouble their group had attracted in the past.. It was very likely something bad had happened.

Poor Yahiko was almost frantic. He had failed to protect the one person who had always been a constant in his life. He covered his eyes with his hand, rubbing at them. He was so tired, but he had to keep looking! He would do this all night if it meant finding her safe and sound. Hell, even all week! Forever, if needed be!

"Kaoru..! Where are you..?! Busu!" His voice was fading. He had been yelling just about all day. Cheering during the tournament, and now shouting for Kaoru… it put a lot of strain on his voice.

He was down at the river with three others, Tae, one of his peers at the dojo, and a neighbor. He leaned against the bridge and looked out at the lake. So many memories here… He had not been here in a long time, not able to deal with the pain of remembering all the time he spent here with everyone.

Sanosuke…

Megumi…

_Kenshin…_

They were all gone. He was left alone again. He placed his arms on the railing and buried his face in them. And now Kaoru was gone too! He released a ragged breath, and sagged against the wood, not able to stop the flood of memories.

The first time he met Kenshin and Kaoru. It was on this same bridge when he first conversed with them.

"_I'm Myojin Yahiko-- Tokyo Samurai! I haven't fallen far enough to be pitied by strangers!"_

"_You look like a child, but it's obvious your soul is mature. Sorry, didn't mean to underestimate you." Kenshin smiled apologetically, seeming truly sorry for offending for what he knew to be a little thief._

The first time he had fought along side Sanosuke in Kanryu's Courtyard; Sanosuke had hurled him into the gun squad…

"_What's the idea, throwing me like a rock?!"_

_Sanosuke looked down with that shit-eating grin of his. "You made your dent, kid. THANK me!"_

The first time he had joked around with Megumi; it was in Kanryu's Mansion, right after the pond-scum had been arrested. Color rose to his cheeks when he thought about how he had smacked her rear. Looking back on it, he was grateful that she didn't slap the everything out of him.

"_Betcha run into your family that way, too!" He swatted her rear, a grin identical to Sano's on his face._

"_Eek!" Megumi quickly looked down at him with a bemused expression on her face, shaking her head at his antics._

Yahiko missed them all terribly. He understood their reasons to leave, but he wished it didn't have to be this way. He wished Megumi didn't have to go to Aizu. He wished Sanosuke didn't have to run to a foreign country to escape a crime he didn't commit! He wished Kenshin, his idol, didn't have to leave on that stupid journey! And he wished that he hadn't failed in protecting Kaoru!

Tears stung his tired eyes. He was somewhat glad they weren't here to see his failure; but that was selfish and just plain idiotic. _They _wouldn't have let Kaoru get kidnapped! _They _would have found her already. And _he _was a weak child, and couldn't find his own misplaced tabi to save his pathetic life! _Kenshin _always found them for him… and _Kenshin _never rested until his task was done!

He almost slammed his face into the railing repeatedly.

What was he doing?! Wallowing in self pity like this while Kaoru was Kami-knows where! He pushed away from the railing and swiftly turned around--right into Tae!

"Oh! Gomen ne, Tae-san," Yahiko quickly apologized, looking to the side, too ashamed to look one of Kaoru's best female friends in the eye.

Tae smoothed her Akabeko uniform. "It's quite alright, dear." Tae cooed softly. She had noticed his dejected form on the bridge and had come to see if she could help him. Knowing more than likely the boy was blaming himself, she decided to come over and see if she could give some words of encouragement. It seemed that she could very well do that.

She placed a hand on Yahiko's shoulder. "We'll find her, 'kay? Don't you worry!" She tilted her head to the side, smiling gently. She removed her hand from his shoulder, folding her hands in front of her. "It what'nt your fault, dear. No one could've foreseen this… and you must stop blamin' yourself. I know you're worried, and I am too… but we can't give up, y'know?"

Yahikobrought his eyes to Tae's, nodding curtly. "I agree, we can't give up. Thank you, Tae, for helping me… I can't thank you enough." Yahiko quickly hugged the woman and nodded over towards the road that led into town. "You must be tired, having worked all day and then having to search for Kaoru. Why don't you go back to the Akabeko and rest. Plus, if Kaoru manages to get back and heads for the Akabeko, you'll be there waiting for her, okay?"

Tae _was_ feeling quite weary. It wouldn't help the search if she just suddenly passed out from exhaustion on them all; but she wanted to help too though. She mulled over it for a moment, then she finally nodded.

"Okay, Yahiko. I'll be at the Akabeko if you need me! Don't think twice about coming to me, if you need anything, I'm more than happy to help, dear!" She waved farewell to him and turned, walking down the bridge, back into town.

Yahiko slapped his hands to his face to wake himself up. He focused on the sting that burned his cheeks. Okay! He was ready to find Kaoru! He ran the opposite way that Tae had taken, towards the police officer and one of his friends. She didn't seem to be at the river, so there was plenty more places that they had yet to look!

* * *

A groan escaped her lips as consciousness slowly came back to her. It was so cold; she was freezing! Why was it so cold? Blah… and she felt horrible. Maybe she had been run over by one of those horse-drawn carriages.

With her luck, that was completely possible.

She was laying on an ice cold… _stone _floor? What the-? If she had been injured, wouldn't she either be on a futon at the Clinic or in her room at the dojo? She wouldn't be on a stone floor in either of those places. How did she know? Well, it wasn't exactly the smoothest stone in Japan! She could feel the rough texture beneath her hands and cheek. Also, she could smell dirt and dust… too make things worse, there was more horrid smells that followed that she couldn't and did not want to identify.

She went very still. Something was _very _wrong. She couldn't remember exactly how she had got here, or why she was where she was… but she remembered the feeling of fear and red inhuman eyes. That didn't add up to just an accident at the dojo or at the tournament…

'_Wait… what?'_

The tournament!

Everything flooded back to her in a rush, and she felt bile rise in her throat. She had been kidnapped! She had heard that woman in trouble and went to rescue her, but someone hit her from behind! Oh! That poor woman… she was too late. Her fingers twitched. She was almost certain that they had taken her bokken away from her, since it wasn't in her hands. And surely they had saw her in the tournament, they'd have to be idiots to leave her with a _weapon!_

She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to concentrate on scanning her surroundings and not the bloody headache that throbbed behind her eyelids. Damn, her head hurt! Whoever snuck up behind her sure had an arm.

Okay, that train of thought wasn't productive.

What to do?

Well, she couldn't sense any ki around here, so hopefully she was alone. It was dark, she knew… if there was light, even with her eyes closed she'd be able to detect it. She opened her eyes just a tiny bit, looking through her eyelashes. At first the world spun, but she was able to get a grip on it and turn everything right-side-up.

It would do her no good if she alerted the person (if there was someone) that she was conscious by just sitting up. She had to make sure she was alone before she did, so she would maybe have the advantage of surprise... sorta.

Well, she saw no feet in front of her, so that meant there was nobody on the side of the room she was facing. She didn't feel any presence behind her, so she was almost sure she was alone. Kami, she prayed she was alone. She took a deep breath and slowly sat up. Her hand instantly shot up to cradle her abused cranium. Ugh, she felt like her head was going to just fall off her shoulders! When she found that no-good dirty bastard that hit her from _behind…_Oooh, what a coward!

Concentrate!

'_Whoa… okay, here we go..' _Kaoru blinked rapidly and looked around. She smothered her initial gasp with her hand. She was in a… _jail cell_?! What in the Seven Hells?! The whole room looked like it was made of stone. There was no decorations. Oh, Kami… but something that looked an awful lot like dried blood was _all over _the back wall and floor! And there were chains and manacles bolted into the stone… what were they planning to _do _to her?! She quickly turned where she sat to look behind her and noticed a small tea-candle, along with a few what she hoped were water spots… And it smelled like stale tabi that had been stuck in a water bucket and just thrown in a bundle in a corner. Yuck!

She looked for the door(she doubted any windows were built in). She grimaced when she saw the western-style _black_ door. Only reason why she could see it was the glint of the handle in the tiny bit of candle light that she _did _have. She seriously doubted that it was oh so conveniently unlocked… but she had to try!

Kaoru slowly pushed herself into a crouching position, testing her wobbly legs. She slowly exhaled and stood to her full height. She looked herself over, and wrinkled her nose in disgust. She looked like she'd been dragged through a pile of dirt! It stained her blue gi, and her hakama was totally destroyed. The ends were torn, like they'd been snagged on something repeatedly. And her breast binding was loose… she _very quickly _fixed that as best she could without taking off her gi.

She tip-toed over to the door and placed her hand on the smooth and _cold _wood. Why did everything in this dank cell have to be _cold?! _She wasn't dressed for this. She slowly reached for the handle with her free hand, almost terrified of what could be on the other side of this black door…

She gripped the handle tightly and turned it, pushing on the door _very _slowly. She was tense and ready to intercept an on-coming attack as she continued to slowly push on the wood. She heard a small click, and excitement jolted through her as she realized the door was unlocked! Yes! But her joy was short lived as she considered why would they leave the door unlocked, and just what could be waiting for her on the other side.

She took a deep breath and peeked out. The lighting was dim in the short hallway that obviously led to where she was. Another black door was directly in front of her- the exit! She took a few heartbeats to look at the walls and ceiling, looking for traps.

Scarlet tapestries hung on the the walls, and two torches were lit in the middle of the dark hall. She guessed for decoration? She looked down at her feet. Even the carpet was red.

Suddenly, low growling sounds reached her ears and she froze. She slowly looked up to meet three pairs of amber eyes reflecting back at her in the darkness.

'_Oh no…'_

The growling got louder as three, huge, black wolves stepped into the light, as they stared her down, hackles raised. Their fangs were bared and they slowly advanced forward, as if she had become the prey that they were _hunting. _Kaoru decided that they blended perfectly in this Hell that she was abruptly thrown in!

Kaoru swallowed hard, gripping the door handle tightly. "Uh… good doggies… I won't hurt you…" _'But I bet you can't wait to eat me…!!'_

As if they had heard her silent omission, the wolves suddenly snarled and launched off the floor, running full speed at her. Saliva flew from their snapping jaws; the loud snapping sounds crawled straight down her spine.

Kaoru gasped and wasted no time in darting _back _into the cell and slammed the door closed, pressing herself against it. Seconds later three resounding thuds slammed against the door, and she could hear their agitated snarls through the door.

Fear laced through her as they suddenly started scratching at the base of the door, trying to get in. To tear her apart! Kaoru whimpered as tears welled up in her blue eyes. She held her breath, praying that they would stop and leave her alone. Well, now she knew why they _left the door unlocked!_

After a few moments the scratching stopped, and she breathed a sigh of relief, going limp against the door. She dropped her head back against the door, breathing heavily.

Kaoru then did something she didn't do very often. She cursed.

"_Fuck!"_

* * *

**A/N: **_Hiya! I hope you liked the chapter. Please review and give me some feedback! Love you all! _

**Terms (**in order of use

**-chan: **an honorific used for someone who is younger or little. Also used between females who are friends.

**Sensei: **Teacher, Master, or Doctor.

**-san: **an honorific for someone who is older or a stranger. Or in this case, in place of "Mr." or "Ms."

**Busu: **Ugly- Yahiko's nickname for Kaoru.

**Shihandai: **Assistant Master (Kaoru, since she teaches in place of her deceased Father).

**Tabi: **Socks that are specially made to be worn with sandals.

**Kami: **God.

**Gomen ne: **I'm Sorry.

**Bokken: **Wooden Sword.

**Gi: **a top worn by swordsman. (check me on that one)

**Hakama: **traditional Japanese pants.

_My thanks to all who reviewed:_

**Paramecio: **Thank you for your encouragement! Here's your update, sorry it's a bit late. I hope you enjoyed this! Please review again! **LadyNorth176: **Thank you for your review, and here's the update! I'm glad you love my story! **LemonMan: **Uh, well… I haven't got that far yet. But I promise there will be some soon!

_And to all who added me to their Alert, Favorites or Author list:_

**LadyNorth176; ****Lanie29; Kizuna31; dela1**

**A/N: **_Some of the names directly above may be for my One-Shot "Passion", but I didn't want to take the chance on leaving someone out. Well, love you all and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Feedback is very welcome! Have a wonderful day/night!_

_Kiyo-chan_

* * *


	5. Ch4: Hitokiri

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _RuroKen _or any part of the genius Watsuki Nobuhiro creations.

**A/N: **_I am so sorry this took so long to get out! My Father passed away March 27__th__ 2008, three days after my 22__nd__ birthday of heart failure. I was busy moving my Mother, my Aunt and her boys closer together. And I also moved closer to my Mother to take care of her. So, as you can see, I was very busy and I had to get a connection reestablished in my new home. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. I am sorry that Kenshin has not made an appearance in this chapter, but I realized that there was a lot to be explained before he made his debut. _

_Thank you all for being patient. -Kiyo_

**Chapter Four**

* * *

_Blood._

She was always surrounded by blood. It was _everywhere. _On her clothes, her hands, her face, in her eyes, and it even stained her soul. Scarlet consumed _everything_. It even conquered her, held her soul in a tight grip, and it was never going to let go. How could she let this happen?

_Blood._

She was tired. But she couldn't stop. For every one she let get away, two innocents would die in the one's place. That was not acceptable. The innocents were more important. They must be protected. She protected them, even at the cost of her own soul. She could never stop. Never cease to protect. _No. _

_Blood._

Was this really protecting innocents? By killing the guilty, was she protecting guiltless? And what about her? Wasn't _she_ an innocent before all of this? Who had been supposed to protect her?

_Flaming red hair, amethyst eyes, childlike smile…_

_Love, affection, passion…_

_Cross-shape scar, sword, amber hues…_

_Strength, determination, purpose…_

She whimpered almost inaudibly as she clutched her head in her hands, her fingers buried in ebony bangs. Who was the redheaded man who plagued her like this? Why couldn't she remember more than just fleeting images of him and emotions that were hidden just beneath the surface? Was he the one who was supposed to protect her? Was he her husband…?

_He turned away from her, walking across the courtyard and out the gates, never to be seen again…_

_Loneliness, tears, pain…_

_Kenshin…_

"Kenshin…?" She whispered to herself, ceasing her rocking motions. She was wrapped around herself against the wall, her face buried in her raised knees, as she had been rocking herself. _Kenshin… Kenshin… who are you? Who were _we_? Why aren't you here with me? Did you get hurt…? _She gasped, her hands flying to her chest, over her heart, clutching at the front of her gi. Why did the mere thought of this Kenshin person being injured hurt her so much?

Before she could examine this further, the door to her cell opened. The light poured in the dank, dark room and she squinted against the burning sensation the light caused in her eyes. She could only see the silhouette of a man standing the doorway due to the bright light that surrounded him, but she knew all too well who he was.

"It is time again, hitokiri, prepare yourself," and then he shut the door, leaving her alone in the dark once again.

Kaoru flinched at the boom the heavy, black door made as it was closed. She slowly stood and brushed the specks of dirt from her white hakama, and straightened her gi. Her face was a mask of indifference as she took deep, calming breaths; preparing herself for what she was about to do.

She moved forward towards the direction of the door, and placed her hand there, feeling the cool wood beneath her palm. She closed her hand into a fist and rapped sharply on the door twice. She dropped her hand and stepped back, and listened to the noise on the other side of the door.

"Get back, you mangy mutt!" One of her 'masters' minions snarled. A thump and a short yelp followed, signaling the man kicking one of the dogs into submission. Kaoru mentally curled her lip at his abuse of the animal.

Heavy footsteps sounded, and they got louder and louder as the man moved closer to the door to her cell. The door was unlocked and yanked open, and the light hit her in the face, burning her eyes again. But she made no move to shield her eyes. The light revealed a stocky man, looking about in his mid-thirties, if those crows-feet at the corners of his eyes had anything to say about it. He had short brown hair, and it looked in need of a good washing. He had beady little black eyes, and a scowl that looked like it was stuck on his face permanently. He wore a simple pair of white hakama and gi, with a pair of ratty tabi. She felt disgust for the lack of care he took of himself.

"Move your ass, hitokiri!" The man barked at her, his hatred for her obvious.

She took a step forward out of her cell, onto the crimson carpet. After a moments hesitation she strode forward, heading down the hallway of red to the big, black door at the end; the only thing that wasn't red in the hallway. The dogs growled and snarled at her presence, slowly stalking her from behind.

Another yelp from the dogs showed that the man had kicked them again on his way past, and Kaoru stifled the urge to punch the man.

She couldn't blame the dogs for their temperament. _'You can only kick a dog so many times before it turns vicious…' _She felt sympathy for the guard dogs; though she couldn't wait until one took a chunk out of the man's leg for his abuse.

Kaoru made it to the end of the hallway to the door and moved aside, her back against the scarlet-painted wall. The man curled his upper lip in a sneer to show his yellowed teeth, then opened the door, and stepped back for her to enter through it.

She did so without hesitation, and walked into the middle of the room. She kept her head down. She didn't have to look around to know where she was. It was the training room. It had sleek hardwood-floors much like (_her_) dojo's did, with plain- though reinforced- wood walls and ceiling. Dummies hung from thick leather straps from the ceiling, and an assortment of deadly looking weapons lined one wall. A chandelier was in the middle of the ceiling, the flames inside the candle holders brightening the room since there was no windows. The room was the text-book demonstration of a "wolf-in-sheep's clothing."

This place did not just only serve for training, as it appeared. It also was the place for bloodbaths. Kaoru's crystalline blue eyes dulled as she lost herself in what made this room so sinister and memories that were better left buried.

* * *

_"Release me!" Kaoru demanded of the thug that held her whole body in a vise-grip. This was the one who killed the woman at the tournament. The all black-clothing and nasty-looking red eyes was proof enough for her. _

_The grip tightened on her throat tightened considerably, closing off any and all effort for air. Kaoru wheezed and gasped for air that just would not fill her lungs._

"_Did you know it only takes five pounds on your throat to crush it? Be silent." An almost genderless voice whispered, threatened harshly in her ear. She immediately stopped struggling, and the hand around her throat stopped squeezing and just held her in place. Kaoru hacked and coughed as she choked on air._

_She was being dragged from her cell, because 'the boss' wanted to speak to her. Call her an idiot, but she was relatively safe in the cell. There was no telling what these men were going to do to her. She'd rather take her chances with those blood-thirsty dogs!_

_Suddenly she was dropped in the middle of the floor of a… training room? _

"_Kaoru Kamiya. So nice to meet you," A masculine voice drawled from somewhere in front of her. She snapped her head up to look at the owner of the voice, when she was hit in the back of the head for the second time that day. Stars exploded in her head and she almost lost consciousness, but the voice in her hear kept her awake. "Don't look at the boss, bitch. And pay attention or I will kill you myself." _

_Kaoru dug her nails into the floor, trying to fight off a massive headache._

"_You might want to listen to Shadow. Disrespect doesn't bode well with Shadow," 'the boss' said, smugness thick in his voice. "But, why you are here…" The man sighed melodramatically and clapped his hands. "Bring them here so this can proceed." A door opened and closed and he paused, taking a few steps forward so all she saw was nice, polished leather shoes. "Do you know why you are here, my sweet?" The man drawled, stifling a wicked laugh at her predicament._

_Kaoru shook her head in a negative gesture. _

"_I didn't think so," A door opened and sounds of muffled cries filled her ears. Kaoru's eyes widened considerably, her brain going into over time trying to guess what was happening before it happened._

"_You are to become the modern hitokiri. I've been watching you, Kamiya, and I've liked what I have seen. You fight with grace and purpose. And I am offering you a great opportunity." The man chuckled at his own words, then reached down and caught her chin in a painful grip and yanked her head up so fast she thought she had whip-lash. Her eyes immediately sought out the source of the sobs and she couldn't stop the horrified cry that escaped her lips at what she found. Two little girls were tied together at "Shadow's" feet, looking severely beaten already. Dread slowly filled her as she started piecing things together. She knew she had turned sheets of white, and her mouth had gone dry._

"_Oooh," The man cooed, obviously taking pleasure in the whole thing. "I see you are a smart one. But let me explain, just in case." _

_Her eyes shot to the man's. They were black, almost soulless… the eyes of death… _

_She saw movement from Shadow and knew he was coming towards her to beat her for looking at the boss. She quickly looked away, and closed her eyes. He was an ugly thing. He was tall and lean, granted, but his eyes were evil and his face was scarred heavily. But scars didn't make a person ugly. It was the way they held their faces, and this man's smile and eyes just screamed malice and wickedness. He was balding, his short black hair thinning and he wore an expensive suit. _

"_Shadow. Stand down. I believe our chickey understands." The man drawled again, then gripped her chin tighter before releasing her. She slumped to the floor a bit, still weak from the hard blows to the back of her head. _

"_Listen and listen closely, woman, I do not repeat myself." The man's voice was harder now. A sneer, if you will. "You are going to be my new assassin. You will kill for me indiscriminately. Anytime. Anywhere. And anyone. Do you understand?" He didn't wait for a response and a very loud "NO!" was forming on her tongue. But the beginning of her protest died with his next words. "Or I will kill these children. But I will not kill them swiftly, mind you. They will be tortured before they die. I promise you that, my sweet." He made a quick kick to her ribs, flipping her over onto her back and knocking the air from her lungs. The children screamed through their gags and Kaoru shut her eyes tightly. "But if it makes you feel better, bitch, the men you will be killing are evil men. Much like myself." He roared with laughter, and Shadow joined him, both obviously finding his statement hysterical. _

"_Why…?" Came the question unbidden from her lips. And she shook her head almost to herself. _

"_Because you have skill. And no one would suspect you, Kamiya, you will be presumed dead after not being found for so many weeks." The man snapped his fingers and someone walked over to her. A hand in her hair jerked her open and forced her to look in the direction of the children. Confusion was clearly written on her face._

"_Oh, and Kaoru…" Her eyes shot to 'the boss'. "If you refuse, or fail me… like purposefully getting caught by the police. This is what will happen to any and all family you have. Especially that lovely doctor in Aizu, and that boy-child at your dojo." Kaoru gasped and barely had time to wonder how he knew that before he unsheathed a sword from the wall. She held her breath as he walked back towards her, but stopped by the children. He raised the sword and the cries from the children got more frantic. Realization dawned and she barely had time to scream before both children were decapitated, their heads rolling across the hard-wood floors. _

"_**No!" **__She shrieked, a hand clawing out towards them, tears immediately dripping down her cheeks. _

_The man frowned and discarded the bloody sword and strode forward again. "Train her hard. I don't want any shred of humanity left in that girl. It sickens me." This was directed to Shadow who pulled her up to her feet and started to drag her to her prison. And as she was chained to the wall, she quickly found out the meaning of hell; through whips and hard blows to her ribs and face by Shadow and a greasy looking man who had joined in later. By the time Shadow was through with her, she hung almost-lifelessly from the chains, blood dripping down to pool on the dirty floor below her. _

_They stood back and surveyed their work. The greasy-man had a twisted smile on his grubby face as he moved forward and caressed her breast. She whimpered and flinched backwards, trying to escape his grip. He grabbed her other breast and gripped her hard until she screamed._

_The man cried out suddenly, and he jerked forward, slamming into her, then slid down her bruised body to the floor. Shadow kicked the man away from her and across the room. "There will be none of that. An internally injured hitokiri is a useless hitokiri," was the reasoning. Shadow grabbed the man and threw him out of the room. She was unlocked from the chains, and she dropped uselessly to the floor._

"_I will be back tomorrow. Do yourself a favor and do what the boss says." Was he trying to help her? "I have better things to do than to beat you all day. I never found pleasure in human-torture; I'm just here for the aftermath of your assassinations." Ah, so that was it- her groggy mind concluded. _

_Her body practically melted into the floor. She couldn't move. Everything hurt. She just wanted to sleep. Sleep…_

_Shadow realized the girl was barely conscious, so talking to her would be useless. So, an exit was the most reasonable thing…_

…_day after day she was beaten, harsh voices whispered commands in her ears, and she survived on tasteless gruel. Then the beatings just… stopped. And her wounds were dressed, broken bones tended to when she was passed out. And she was given a more hearty food by Shadow to eat on. She had no concept of time, so she had no idea of how long it'd been since she'd been taken. But her wounds were healed and she was feeling better physically… but, she couldn't remember what happened before she was kidnapped. She didn't know when it happened… but just one day... nothing. She remembered nothing… They had finally broke her… or hit her in the head one too many times, as that greasy-man had said repeatedly…_

…_When she refused to fight. Refused to be apart of this yazuka. She wasn't going to kill anyone! She was beaten and was forced to watch a toddler mutilated and beheaded. It was all her fault. She wouldn't fight it anymore. She promised…_

…_Then her training started. Her audience? Usually about two children who were slaughtered if she lost the fight. Once, she had lost a fight so horribly because of her injures from the beating before, 'Boss' had dismembered them before he killed them. She still remembered their screams. Yes. She would fight harder. She would never loose…_

…_One day it became too much. She had snapped and attacked all her sparing partners with a vengeance, disarming them quickly. But she'd never forget her shame and the satisfaction on the 'Boss's' face when her blade removed her opponent's head from his shoulders because the grin he wore irritated her…_

…_The Boss gave her the picture of her first target and orders to seek and destroy. Two young children sobbed silently at his side, while Shadow held a blade to their throats, a threat to their lives…_

…_She swept her sword through the air, leveled at the side of the man's neck. Steel collided with flesh, and she watched as the man's head rolled across the floor as she screamed inside…_

…_Then she was ordered to kill more and more men. She had lost count of how many she killed. But she did sneak peeks at the calendars that were available to her: months had passed by since her second kill…_

…and now.

Now, she waited obediently in the room of the deaths of six children and two lackeys. '_All my fault. I killed them.'_ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming herself and steeling to wait patiently for her 'Boss'.

The door opened and Kaoru made sure to train her eyes to the floor; she heard the usual soft sobs of small children in the wake of heavy foot-falls.

"Hitokiri. I have a new target for you," he said needlessly. It was obvious why she was called, she thought bitterly. "But, this one might prove to be a challenge. He fought during the Revolution as a _real _hitokiri, so he has skill." She could hear the smile in his voice, though she wasn't sure what made him so happy.

"I need you to bring back his head. Bring back his head and the children live. If you do not bring back his head, I don't give a fuck if you kill him or not, the children die. I. Want. His. Head." The boss man hissed, malice dripping into his voice. She could swear she could hear the floor sizzling under all that venom.

"Yes, sir." She replied curtly. She waited for the picture of this… challenge.

The picture was shoved under her nose, and her eyes almost crossed it was so close. She blinked and focused her eyes on the picture, and she almost died on the spot.

It was a drawing this time, she guessed that he wasn't a government official and there were no pictures on him. But that's not what floored her so. It was the face of the man that surfaced in her lost memories. Her chest tightened at what she was being told to do. She had to kill this mysterious red-headed man from her past. She suddenly felt the urge to trace the X-shaped-scar on his cheek with her fingertips.

"It shouldn't be too hard to find him. He's the only Japanese man I've heard of with red hair." her boss said nastily.

"He's probably a worthless hafu." the greasy man snarled. Funny how she still didn't know anyone's name but Shadow. And she was sure that the warrior's real name wasn't "Shadow"…

"I want you to get to it. I expect this to be done within the month. You have 20 days to complete this. If you are late, even by minutes to midnight of the 21st day, I will kill the children. And for every day you are late, I will kill another. Am I understood, hitokiri?!" The boss barked like an military officer.

"Yes, sir." Kaoru replied and waited until she was dismissed.

She would not be late with the man's head. But, it didn't mean that she didn't have to learn something about him first. She wanted to know why he didn't protect her. If he was a war veteran, and still alive, he should have protected her. He had the skill and strength enough to do so. He should have found her by now. He didn't care. That's why she was left here. He would pay with his head for what he dammed her to. Quite literally. But, she would find out who and what she was before she separated his head from his shoulders.

"Now go." The boss dismissed her and walked back out the door he came from- Shadow following shortly behind him with the crying children.

Without sparing a look to the dirty man that was still in the room, she made her exit through the window in the next room, off to seek and destroy her betrayer… no matter how much a nagging part of her denied the very thought.

* * *

**A/N:** _So.. There's the end of this chapter. Hope you liked it. Here's a list of the terms used in this chapter:_

****

Terms (in order of use):

**Gi: **A top usually worn by swordsman.

**Hitokiri: **Name used for "Man-Slayers" during the Revolution.

**Hakama: **Traditional Japanese pants.

**Tabi: **Socks that are specially made to be worn with sandals.

**Yazuka: **The Japanese term for "gang" or "mob."

**Hafu: **A derogatory word to describe someone who is not purely Japanese, but half of another race; a racial slur.

_  
My Thanks to all who reviewed:_

**Obsequious101: **Thank you. And yes, I would too. But I wouldn't just leave it with "Fuck!" I'd be turning the air around me blue with my cursing! Kenshin will DEFINITELY be in the next chapter. A lot. Thanks again. **Paramecio: **You know what? You've been with me since this started and you give me great reviews. You get cookies! :Gives cookies: I like you. Keep reviewing, please. Since I'm a good author, I hath the power to deem you a good reviewer… so there! LOL! **RedWingedAngel002: **I am sorry to inform you that Kaoru, in fact, is not alright. At least in the head. But a little time with Kenshin will help her out, kies? Yes… she is screwed in the most impossible situation. That sucks. Thanks for your reviews! You get cookies too. **sulou: **As you've probably already guessed, these bad-guys are no different than the ones in the manga/anime. They all want to take over the government because they are too simple-minded to go after the World. No, they just wanted her for her skill in swordsmanship and a few other things that will be revealed later. :Evil laugh: o.o;; And of course Kenshin will help out. He can't help not to. LOL Thank you, I liked Yahiko's inner self too. And no, viscous dogs are scary. Toy Chihuahua's are CUTE! :Cuddles hers.: **Kisa167: **Thank you for your review. Here's your update, sorry it took so damn long. **shadow-fox313: **Thank you and here's your update.

_And to all who added me to their Alert, Favorites or Author list:_

**Panny-Son-Briefs; shadow-fox313; and everyone else I've accidentally misplaced. Thanks to you too!**

**  
A/N continued: **_Thank you all again for staying with me for these past two months. It's really appreciated. I would really love for you all to review and all you new people reading this. Love you too. You can ask questions and I'll try to answer them without giving away too much. I hope I answered all the questions asked, and if not: I'm sorry. And if I forgot anyone, just tell me in your review and I will make a big show of 'remembering' you! LOL Thanks! E-mail or I.M me at anytime at __Evil In Twilight__ (at) aol (dot) com. I have AIM too. Don't be shy! And all apologies. FanFiction Net is being a bastard and keeps chewing my chapter to death and spitting it back randomly on the bloody page. Sorry.  
-Kiyo-chan_


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